


Feeling That Pride

by tabbytabbytabby



Series: Prompts [34]
Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: First Kiss, Fluff, Love Confessions, M/M, Pride, Reincarnation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-03-16
Updated: 2019-03-16
Packaged: 2019-11-19 12:22:59
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,052
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/18135707
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tabbytabbytabby/pseuds/tabbytabbytabby
Summary: Merlin and Arthur find themselves at Pride, and it brings some things to light for Arthur.





	Feeling That Pride

**Author's Note:**

> For mysticrebelwerewolf on Tumblr

Arthur’s been back long enough to know that things in the world are different than they were back in Camelot. For one, people don’t write letters anymore, or really even talk, instead they type things out on their cellphones. Something Arthur has finally gotten used to. No matter what Merlin says. The caps is necessary.

The way they travel is also immensely different. While sometimes he does miss just riding on his horse with the breeze blowing across his skin and through his hair, he has to admit traveling in this time is a lot more efficient. Usually. 

He’s currently stuck in a mass of people that have all flocked to the side walk and are looking at the street as if they’re expecting something. They’re dancing and hugging each other and are dressed very colorfully, and minimally in some cases. But they all seem in good spirits.

Arthur lost Merlin some time ago, and is just hoping he can find a break in the crowd and catch sight of him. He looks to his left and stills. There are two men wrapped in a tight embrace as they kiss passionately. It stirs something in Arthur. Something that he’s been trying to keep down even since his time in Camelot. 

He looks around, worried that someone might attack these men, but everyone just keeps cheering and don’t seem the least bit bothered. And that’s when it hits him just how much things have changed. 

He catches sight of a t-shirt, sporting the words “ _ It’s okay to be gay!” _ in big bold rainbow letters. 

_ Gay. _

That must be what all of this is. These people are celebrating being gay. Arthur looks around the street, his heart hammering in his chest as he tries to find Merlin. It’s been so long, and realizing that what he’s been feeling isn’t wrong but is accepted by people has him feeling slightly giddy.

He sees a familiar mop of black hair a few feet away and he goes towards it, apologizing as he pushes through the crowd. “Merlin!”

Merlin spins around to face him, a wide grin on his face. He’s holding a rainbow flag in his hand. “There you are. I was looking for you.”

“I’m gay,” Arthur blurts out. “I’m gay for you.”

Merlin stares at him for a moment before rolling his eyes. Merlin strides towards him, takes his face in his hands, and kisses him softly. “Finally! I’ve only been waiting a few millennia!”

“I’m sorry I kept you waiting,” Arthur tells him.

Merlin smiles and brushes his thumbs across Arthur’s cheeks, “It’s okay. You’re worth it.”

Arthur leans in and presses his lips to Merlin’s before quickly pulling back, “Was that okay?”

“More than okay,” Merlin tells him. “I’m gay for you too, you prat. In fact, I’m pretty much head over heels in love with you, so you can kiss me whenever you want.”

So Arthur does. He brushes his lips across Merlin’s softly, enjoying the small sigh Merlin makes. “I love you too. I think I have for a long time, I just never really understood it. Or I did and it scared me.”

“I know,” Merlin says, moving a hand up to brush through Arthur’s hair. “Things were harder back then, but they’re different now.”

“I can see that,” Arthur says, glancing around at the ever growing crowd of people.

“You and your boyfriend are so cute,” a younger woman says. She’s wearing a pair of shorts and a white top with a rainbow cat on it. 

Arthur’s heard the word boyfriend used before. It’s what Gwen calls Lancelot to let people know they’re together. 

Merlin smiles over at the girl, “Thank you. I love your top.”

She grins, “Thanks! I made it myself. I’m doing face painting. Would you two like something?”

“Oh I don’t…”

“Sure,” Arthur says, smiling brightly over at her.

She beckons him over to where she has her paint set up, “What would you like?”

Arthur thinks about it. He sees a lot of people with flags and even animals on their face. But he wants something that means something. He tells her, and she shrugs, running her brush through the paint and telling him to sit down. He sits there, trying not to move as the brush moves across his skin. It’s colder than he expected it to be.

“What are you getting?” Merlin asks him.

“Patience Merlin,” Arthur says. “It’s a surprise.”

He sees the girl smile, “Well it makes sense now.”

She sits back once she’s finished and examines her work, “You’re all set.”

“Thank you,” Arthur says. He stands up, feeling nervous suddenly as he turns to face Merlin. He watches as Merlin’s eyes move across his face. He finds Merlin in his arms suddenly as he kisses him heatedly. “Careful about the paint,” Arthur warns him.

Merlin smiles and touches around it, “I like it. I think it should be permanent.”

Arthur rolls his eyes, “I’m not walking around with a giant letting M on my face, Merlin.”

“I never said it had to be on your face,” Merlin tells him.

“I guess I could be persuaded,” Arthur says. “Are you going to get one?”

“I don’t need one,” Merlin tells him. “I have my own.” 

He lifts up his shirt, and Arthur feels his breath catch when he sees the Pendragon crest on his chest, right over his heart. “Merlin…”

“I wanted to always have you close to me,” Merlin tells him. “So as soon as tattoos started becoming a thing I went and got this. I’ve had to have it touched up a few times, but it’s always with me.  _ You’re  _ always with me.”

Arthur runs his fingers across the tattoo, feeling suddenly choked up. “Always, Merlin.”

“Oh come on,” Merlin says, clearing his throat. “Don’t get all choked up now. We’re having fun today.”

“I am having fun, Merlin. I just never knew you cared so much.”

“Really? After I just told you I love you.”

“I know that but I…” his fingers continue to trace over the tattoo. “This means a lot to me.”

“I know,” Merlin says, kissing him softly. He pulls back with a smile and lets his shirt drop before taking Arthur’s hand. “Now come on. You need to see the parade.”

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks for reading! Kudos/Comments make my day. ♥  
> [My tumblr](http://tabbytabbytabby.tumblr.com/)


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